Third baseman Travis Shaw slugged the first two home runs of his major league career and had four RBIs as the Boston Red Sox overcame another shaky start from Joe Kelly in an 11-7 win over the Tampa...

Berlin opthalmologist given prescription ban by state board

CONCORD — Berlin opthalmologist Dr. William Foord, whose prescribing privileges were suspended by the state Board of Medicine on an emergency basis in February 2013, has now agreed to a permanent prohibition from prescribing scheduled II, III, IV and V controlled substances.

The prohibition is part of an agreement to resolve allegations of professional misconduct pending before the board.

The board said Foord continued to prescribe certain pain medications for patients, instead of referring them to pain specialists, despite being issued a letter of concern by the board in July 2011, after an investigation into one case.

The patient, for whom Foord continued to prescribe pain medication and failed to refer to a pain clinic, died five months later of acute intoxication from the combined effects of several drugs, including Oxycodone and Alprazolam prescribed by Foord.

The board said Foord also continued to prescribe Alprazolam to a patient who had become addicted and tried to manage the patient’s symptoms himself instead of referring the patient to a specialist or for drug treatment.

Foord also prescribed non-controlled drugs for immediate family members and himself, violating New Hampshire Medical Administrative Rules and the American Medical Association Code of Ethics.

In addition to the prescription prohibition, Foord, who was licensed to practice medicine in the state in 1975, is reprimanded, assessed a $2,000 administrative fine, required to meaningfully participate in eight hours of continuing medical education focused on professional boundaries and medical ethics related to prescribing practices, and, for the next two years, must furnish a copy of the settlement agreement to any current or prospective employer.